Meeting the Grangers
by x-Holly-Berry-x
Summary: When the Grangers are invited to dinner, Mrs Weasley is determinded that for once the Weasleys will look good. But things don't go the way they were planned... RHr
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **_Hey all! This is my first fan fic about Ron/Hermione. I've always supported them and I finally decided to try and begin a story about how they got together. I am open to criticism and this story is like a tester; if you don't like it please say so and if people review I'll continue._

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"Ron, tidy yourself up! Ginny, yes, you go and pick some flowers! Fred, George..." Mrs Weasley sighed, turning to face her two sons and giving them disapproving glances, "...behave." The twins gave their mother matching looks of innocence, before trooping back upto their rooms. Their mother merely rolled her eyes and continued peeling potatoes. Everything had to be perfect for the Grangers arrival, after all she didn't want them to think that their precious daughter would be staying in a hovel for the holidays...oh no, for the first time in history, the Weasleys were aiming to impress and were going to be victorious, whether Mrs Weasley had to force them or not.

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Ron glared at the mirror infront of him, deep in his thoughts of self-pity and desperation. In a desperate attempt to blame the mirror for his bad looks, Ron screwed up his eyes and squinted at his reflection, in hope that his features would re-arrange themselves to make him look 'dashing' and 'handsome'...no improvement. Ron sighed heavily, throwing himself onto his bed and closing his eyes. Just when he thought his life couldn't get any worse. His mother just had to invite the Grangers for dinner, the Grangers just had to accept, Hermione just had to stay over the summer...don't get him wrong, under normal circumstances Ron would be perfectly happy that both of his best friends would be staying over the summer, but the past few months hadn't fallen under the category of 'normal'. No, for the past 3 months, Ronald Billius Weasley had been seeing Hermione Jane Granger in a whole new light. 

Hermione.

That was all he ever thought about nowadays, she was the only thing that occupied his mind and the only thing that made his stomach do seventy back flips every time her name was mentioned. Take the day before yesterday for example, he'd decided to go for a nice swim in Wodle Sang lake to cool off. The perfect thing to clear his mind of his best friend. His method had been eighty percent sucessful...for as soon as he got out of the lake, he found himself staring fixedly at the sun, thinking how it's light seemed to seek out Hermione's hair and weave in and out of it's delicate, chocolate-brown curls, surronding her in a heavenly glow. But the thoughts didn't stop there, as soon as he'd managed to rid the thoughts from his head, Ron had made himself a fruits of the forest smoothie and found himself, yet again, thinking of a certain Miss Granger and how she would have love to have known that he was making an attempt to learn more about muggles and how she would have liked the taste of this newly discovered flavour of smoothie. Ahh...he didn't know why, but he couldn't stop thinking of Hermione. Deep down, very deep down, Ron had his suspiousions for why his mind consisted of one topic and the results weren't pretty but then of course reality isn't always a bowl full of roses. He was in love with Hermione Granger and the sooner he faced it the better.

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**A/N: **_Please R&R!_


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks to all my reviewers! I shall mention particular people in the next chapter but at the moment I'm just hurrying to get this one done and dusted! Enjoy.

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Hermione sighed heavily, imaginingherself letting out one emotion with each breath. Pressing her fore-head against the car window, she stared out at the passing fields, lost in her own thoughts and day dreams. Her relationship with Ron had always been one full of confusion, anger and even jealousy. For as long as she could remember she'd been known as the 'smart' girl, but she couldn't help but notice that during her 5th year at Hogwarts she'd heard more and more referrals to her being the girl who had a love/hate relationship with Ronald Weasley. She did what ever she could to stamp out these rumours, but they just became more and more frequent until it eventually reached the point where she was being pointed at and whispered about whilst walking to classes. One question was constantly on her mind, refusing to be pushed out or ignored. If these rumours weren't true, which they obviously weren't, why did they bother her so much?

Temporairly distracted by the sound of her mum's laughter, Hermione looked up in time to see them smiling at her and exchanging knowing looks. Hermione groaned, turning away from them. Great, that was all she needed. Two more people thinking that she had a crush on her best friend. Which she didn't, of course, right?

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"What have you done to your hair!" Mrs Weasley screeched, seizing Ron by the shoulders and pulling him towards her for inspection. Ron smiled guiltily, he had been hoping that his mother wouldn't notice but even he knew better than to think that he could pass his mother's inspection, with touselled hair. It hadn't been in his fault! He hadn't purposefully gone up to his room, mind whirring with thoughts of Hermione, and made sure that he fell asleep. Ron gave up trying to fend his mother off and let her smooth down his hair and tighten his tie. A bleary-eyed Ginny appeared at the bottom of the stairs, yawning loudly and trying with difficulty to focus her vision. Her eyes snapped open when she realised that it was 'inspection' time and she turned to make a run for it.

"Ginerva Molly Weasley..." Mrs Weasley gasped, her hands flying to her mouth in horror, as she glanced up at the clock, "LOOK at the time! The Granger are due to arrive in 10 minutes and look at the state of you!"

"Gee, thanks mum! Very encouraging," Ginny muttered, rolling her eyes. Mrs Weasley glared at her daughter, before grabbing her inspection kit and strolling over, grabbing Ginny by the shoulders and squinting at her face. She began muttering to herself, only pausing to scold Ginny for not preparing and for not trying to make an effort, even though she knew how important this was for all them and Ron, dear, had been so looking forward to it. At this point, Ginny had snorted in disbelief, smirking off her mother's shoulders and Ron.

"Yes, I'm sure Ron can't wait to see his darling Hermione again! By the way, may I please show mum your love letters? After all, they are so sweet and you know how mum gets all emotional about these sort-of things!" Ginny announced, putting on a loved up voice and placing her head on her fore-head in a dramatic pose. Ron scowled at his sister and grabbed a roll from the table, beginning to take huge bites out of it and imagining it was his sister being teared to pieces instead.

"FRED! GEORGE! Where are you!" Molly called up the stairs, her voice already showing hints of suspiousion. When anser came, Mrs Weasley hitched her skirt and began climbing the stairs. Ginny laughed, taking the seat opposite Ron and helping herself to a Dream Cuff...or something like that. Muggles had the strangest names for food and the strangest food for that matter, but Mrs Weasley had found it necessary to buy everything on aisle 12, a.k.a 'muggle' aisle, in 'Shopping is like magic!' Ron grinned triumphantly. He didn't need to get revenge on his sister's witty comments, for beginning dragged around a supermarket by their mother, who seemed to think that everything on the shelves had been put there to buy for their dinner with the Grangers, and father, who had practically wet himself with excitement at the site of all muggle 'efectonics', had turned Ginny's face a shade of red that he knew no-one would be able to embarrass her enough to get the shade again, except her parents. Ginny caught his eye and gave him a suspious look, almost certain that he was going to play some sort-of prank on her. Ron merely smiled smugly at her, before brushing the crumbs off his 'tye' and walking over to the nearest mirror.

"Mum..."

"We,"

"Didn't mean--"

"To!"

Ron folded his arms across his chest and leant against the wall, raising an eyebrow at his two older brothers, who had been pulled down the stairs by their ears, however the twins seemed in too much agony to notice.

"NOT MEAN TO!" Mrs Weasley screeched, letting go of her sons, to place her hands on her hips and glare up at them. "HOW COULD YOU NOT MEAN TO SET A SNAKE FREE IN YOUR BEDROOM! HOW COULD YOU MEAN TO LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN! THANKS TO YOU THERE'S A BOA CONSTRICTOR HIDING SOME WHERE IN THIS HOUSE AND WE HAVE TO FIND IT BEFORE--"

The doorbell took that as a cue to ring loudly. Mrs Weasley and Ginny gasped, Fred and George winced and Ron stared at the door.

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Please R&R!


	3. Chapter 3

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Ginny couldn't believe the amount of bad luck that seemed to have fallen upon the Weasley family...every time the sun seemed to come out, the curse would re-appear and dash their hopes. It usually happened on special occasions. First the pond incident with the Lovegoods, then the headless chicken catastrophy with Harry and finally thisd. The snake escape. Ginny sighed heavily, wondering why she couldn't have just been born into a nice normal family, where she had sisters instead of brothers and where they could all have a nice quiet sunday dinner with out something exploding or someone losing their temper. Mrs Weasley let out a sort-of strangled cry, tightening her grip on her struggling sons.

"What are we going to do!" Ron moaned, abandoning all attempts to improve his appearance and throwing his tie down on the table. Ginny rolled her eyes, her brother was so dim.

"What do you think!" She replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "Maybe we should turn up the music and get the party started? RON YOU IDIOT! WE HAVE TO FIND THAT SNAKE! Right, mum? Mum?"

Mrs Weasley had taken refuge under the table, where she was crouched on her knees, clutching onto a bagette, murmuring under her breath. All though Ginny couldn't hear every word, she got the gist of what her mother was saying. Why me? Ginny couldn't say she blamed her. With six rowdy sons and only one daughter, she didn't know exactly how her mother coped. She'd have to take order. Putting her hands on her hips, Ginny began.

"Fred...George...Ron." Ginny addressed her brothers, nodding at each of them in turn and pacing the kitchen, "It is up to us to save this dinner. Now although the only people at fault are tweedle dee and tweedle dumb--" Ginny broke off to glare at her brothers, "--Ron and I are going to help in the mission, for with out me thigns will most certainly take a turn for the worst. Right! FRED! Escort mum upstairs, she'll only be a nuisance down here! GEORGE! Figure out how to work the oven, no, do NOT give me that look, you got us into this and you're going to get us out! RON! Stall the Grangers and I will look for the escapee."

And with Ginny turned on her heel and stalked out of the kitchen.

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Ron watched his sister go in disbelief. Sometimes her resemblence to Mrs Weasley was uncanny. Shaking his head, he grabbed his tie, flung it around his neck and threw open the door. 

"Good evening Mr and Mrs Granger." Ron exclaimed, bowing slightly to Mrs Granger and shaking Mr Weasleys hand. "Hermione!" Ron couldn't keep the eagerness out of this voice, as he enveloped his friend and current crush in a big hug. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Hermione's parents head for the door.

"NO! NO!" Ron cried, letting go of Hermione so suddenly that he threw her to the ground. Rushing over to the door, he leant against the frame, blocking entrance to the Grangers. Mr Granger raised his eye brows at Ron, who plastered a smile onto his face. "Err...I, well, you..."

Unluckily he was saved from answering, as his younger sister ran into the kitchen, screaming and beginning to attack the clothes basket with a baguette. Mrs Granger gave Ron a horrified look and clutched onto her husband, who was peering over Ron's shoulder at Ginny with a look that clearly said, 'This-family-has-created-a-whole-new-meaning-to-the-word-mad!'

"Don't worry about her," Ron reassured them, jerking his thumb in the direction of Ginny, "She...just, er, forgot...to take her medicene!"

Mr Granger raised a disbelieving eye brow at Ron, "Her medicene?"

"Err...yes! Her medicene! You see, when she was a baby, Ginny was dropped on her head and her skull kinda shattered into a million pieces--"

Ron watched as Hermione placed her head in her hands and groaned, whilst her father continued giving Ron a mock believing look. Suddenly feeling hot around the collar, Ron self-conciously loosened his tie and tried to remain calm, although he knew that he was only going to dig himself a deeper hole,

"--and she got some sort-of brain damage and now has to take medicene 5 times a day to re-grow the bones and to help her think straight!"

From behind her mother, Hermione was glaring furiously at him, mouthing soundlessly in disbelief. Ron inwardly groaned, he was so in for it. Why did he have to have a best friend who had wordly knowledge? His rubbish fibbing obviously hadn't helped either and seen as Hermione hated lying and mockery of anything medical, historical or that had been published in a book, he was doubly in trouble. What to do what to do...

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**AN: **Sorry to leave you on a cliff hanger and I'm sorry the story hasn't progressed enough, but hey, I'm under a lot of pressure at the moment! Please R&R! 


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: **Thanks to: **_hermione2, zoreo09, AnimeQueen48, PhoenixWings13, PsychoHaired, SailorLeia, hmmart, Oasis Blackmore,_**

**_CassieLupin_, Jess, trishna87, zxxbsmsgirl3148, Broken Rain, Emma-Lynn **and** just another Harry Potter fan **for reviewing!

I'd like to thank **trishna87** for pointing out what everyone else failed to mention. I didn't notice the typing mistake and I shall correct it as soon as possible. I realize that I have made many typos, which is why I have now employed a **beta**! My best friend, Liss (**XxHellzAngelxX**) has offered to do it. I knew she'd offer seen as she takes so much joy in pointing out my errors... glares Anyway, on with the story!

"So... tell us about this medicine, Ronald!" Mr Granger exclaimed, giving Ron a look that clearly said that he didn't believe a word of it. Ron gulped, trying desperately to think of some kind of an explanation. He didn't know a thing about medicine and Mr Granger obviously knew it.

"W-w-what do you mean?" Ron stammered, squirming slightly under the man's gaze.

"Well, what chemicals does it include? What scientific value does it have? I may only be a dentist, but both Violet and I have degrees in Medicines and Chemistry," Mr Granger replied, his voice oddly calm.

Ron looked over his shoulder, in hope that one of the twins would have finished the tasks assigned to them and be able to produce help. No such luck. Fred was yet to reappear from upstairs and George seemed to be having problems extinguishing the fire which had now engulfed the oven, whilst trying to save the roast turkey.  
"Err..." he began, unable to think of anything else to say. Luckily, however, rescue came in the form of a bushy-haired brunette.

"The medicine is a type of steroid. It's usually used during chemotherapy, the treatment for cancer, and it is also a substance used in a painkiller for arthritis. Ginny's condition is rare and therefore she is the first to receive this sort of treatment, so I suppose you could say she's a guinea pig!" Hermione finished, giving her father an angelic look.  
"Yeah...what she said!" Ron said quickly, nodding his head vigorously. Hermione was actually quite skilled at producing lies, and if only she'd use her talent a bit more often then perhaps it would come in useful... but a glance at Hermione's face told him to forget all plans of using her lying skills ever again. Not that he would survive to ever get the chance, for he was surely going to be murdered during the night by at least one of the Grangers.

"Umm...yes," Mr Granger replied, giving Ron a look and making another attempt to help Mrs Granger over the threshold and into the house.

"STOP!" Ron bellowed, squeezing past Mrs Granger and leaning against the doorway again.

"What is it now?" Mrs Granger snapped impatiently, exchanging dark looks with her husband and clutching her purse closer to her chest. Ron's mind was going into overdrive... half of the time it was switched off and to suddenly have to be thinking more in a day than he had in a whole year was really affecting him. Mum was going to kill him, kill him then bring him back to life and kill him again just to make sure she caused him that extra bit of pain. Ron shuddered at the thought and looked up into Mr Granger's cold eyes and gave a weak smile.

"Erm, Mr Granger, I hear you're interested in craftsmanship?" Ron half-said, half-suggested hopefully. The look of anger on the man's face disappeared and was replaced with one of pure shock and surprise.

"Why, yes, I do, I mean, it's an excellent pastime and a chance to let the mind fly free, I think," Mr Granger stuttered in reply. For the first time since the Grangers' arrival, Ron thanked his lucky stars that Hermione and her father were so alike.

"Well, my dad is a huge fan of Mug--of _normal_ pastimes!" Ron said enthusiastically, mentally thanking his father for the first time for having this hobby, to be able to say something positive in this tricky situation. Grabbing Hermione by the hand and leading her over towards the front yard, he gestured for her parents to follow. Hermione obviously hadn't forgiven him and was reluctant to being 'man-handled', as she called it.

"You'll pay for this, Ron!" she hissed in his ear when they were out of earshot of her mother and father. "Something's happening inside that house and you are trying to stall us, to give your brothers time to fix the problem! Well, let me tell you that I am no longer making pathetic excuses to help you!"  
"Now, Hermione!" Ron gasped in mock horror. "Are you seriously saying that I am only here as a distraction?"  
"Yes, I am." Hermione yanked her hand from his grasp and spun around to face him, blocking his path and forcing him to stop. Unable to take the pressure, he sighed and threw up his hands in defeat.

"OK, maybe I am making a distraction..." Ron said, slightly guiltily, " but you most certainly aren't going to find out what is wrong in that house, not now and not ever!" he finished smugly. Hermione glared at him, before turning on her heel and continuing to walk.

"Stand by for fireworks..."

**AN: **Sorry it's short and extremely, well, rubbish... but I have major writers block and I'm very tired! I promise that during the next chapter, they WILL get inside the house and something about the boa constrictor will appear!

**P.S: **MY COMP SHUT DOWN AT THE START OF THE HOLS AND ITS ONLY JUST BEEN FIXED! THAT'S WHY I'M SO LATE IN UPDATING!

Please R&R!

(Beta disagrees that it is rubbish. Not now she's edited it, anyway…)


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you to all who reviewed! I'm in a rush and can't name them all, so instead I promise to create an 'Author's Note' chapter with all your names in, ok?

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Ron watched thoughtfully as Hermione stormed off, nose in the air and lips tightly pressed together in a thin line…strongly reminding him of Professor McGonnagal. He wrinkled his nose, feeling the urge to run to the nearest loo and throw up, but swallow a few times, trying to rid the horrid images of him snogging a _teacher_ from his head.

"Mr. Granger!" Ron called vaguely in the direction of the three Grangers, who were huddled together, obviously trying to keep warm. It was only then that Ron actually realised how cold the air was and realised in shock that it must have dropped at least 10 degrees since they'd…well, he'd, come outside. The Grangers still hadn't set a foot in the house yet and Ron intended to keep it that way until what ever chaos that was going on in the Burrow had subsided.

"Yes?" The reply came from behind him, causing Ron to jump and quickly turn around and found he staring directly into Mr.Granger's cold, blue eyes. "Aren't you supposed to be showing us something?"

Ron mentally kicked himself for that making up a more fail proof plan, but then of course he had had less than 10 seconds to think. Could he risk taking them back inside the house? Ron sneaked a glance over at the burrow…well, it was still standing and that had to mean something.

"Never mind…" Ron said distractedly, sidestepping the old man and strolling back over to the house. He pointed at the house, "Come on! Dinner is waiting for us!"

A loud yell sounded from inside the house and Ron froze, looking nervously over at the Grangers, who had also stopped walking. More yells could be heard and a soft crackling noise and before Ron knew what was happening a loud bang erupted from the house, throwing him off his feet and causing him to land sprawled on the grass. Ron cursed loudly, before looking back up at the burrow. Thick, black clouds of smoke were issuing from the ground floor windows and wasn't until someone started shouting, "WE'RE GOING TO DIE!" that Ron realised that the kitchen was in fact on fire. More screams could be heard, no doubtedly coming from his _older_ brothers, along with a clanging noise, which sounded suspiciously like pots and pans being thrown across the room. Then without warning everything went quiet and the only thing that was heard was a few hushed whispers and then a sizzling noise, before the black clouds began to clear.

Ron blinked several times, unsure of whether what he'd just witnessed was reality or a dream…maybe the whole thing was a dream. Maybe he'd dreamt everything, the bad luck, the curse, the snake disappearance, his mum's nervous breakdown…maybe the Grangers were coming for dinner the next day…OR even better, they weren't coming at all—_The Grangers!_

Ron came back to reality with a painful bump and he slowly turned around to face the Grangers. Ron didn't think he'd seen any of the three so petrified in his entire life. Mr.Granger had turned a deathly white and was hugging his wife so tightly that Ron suspected he'd reacted on instinct. Mrs.Granger was clutching onto her husband and staring wide-eyed at the Burrow, one hand gripping onto Hermione's arm and the other still grasping her handbag. Hermione herself was sprawled on the floor, obviously having been thrown down by her mother and father to protect her from the blast. Her attention however was fixed on Ron, her eyes glaring hard at him and her face covered in nail marks.

"I guess dinner isn't ready then, eh?" Ron said, laughing nervously, shutting up instantly as he spotted the look Hermione's father was giving him. Mrs. Granger was shaking her head in disbelief at Ron, as she began to back away slowly from the house.

"W-w-what just happened?" She asked faintly, clutching a hand to her heart and staring horrified at the house.

"Err…" What could he do! This was something even Hermione couldn't help him out of…not that she would, especially not after this…oh no, he could kiss his good grades good bye from now on. "…what do you mean?"

"What do you mean, what do you mean!" Mrs Granger answered furiously, her eyes ablaze and her expression one of fury, "I mean, your house just blowing up before us! Or are you blind as well as stupid?"

"Mum!" Hermione moaned, turning a bright red but continuing to glare at Ron all the same.

"OH, that…" Ron said vaguely, running a hand through his tousled hair. "That…that…happens all the time. You see, our oven is magical just like us, you see, we purchased it at 'Magic-it-away!' and all the things they sell there are magic. Anyway, this oven is supposed to start letting off dark smoke when the food it's cooking…is ready."

"Oh, right…but I'm sure your brother's yell of 'We're going to die!' was caused by the oven too, huh?" Mr.Granger said sarcastically, almost tempting Ron to say yes, just to annoy him, but even Ron wasn't that stupid.

"Of course not!" Ron snorted, faking a look of humour, "No, you see, they—"

"Are rehearsing a play." Hermione cut in, smiling angelically at her father for the second time that night. Ron wished sorely that she'd give him the same look, just once, so he could savour it forever.

"Really?" Mr. Granger asked in shock, "Well, why didn't you say so, pudding?"

"It's to be performed at Hogwarts next term you see and it was supposed to be surprise for everyone, including the parents!" Ron added, thinking extra fast.

"What play is it?" Mrs. Granger asked, obviously not falling her daughter's 'sweet-as-can-be' act.

"Macbeth." Hermione said instantly.

"That's strange…" Mrs. Granger murmured softly, pretending to think, "I saw that play in high school and yet I don't recall that saying being in the script."

"Of course it wasn't!" Ron exclaimed, "Fred and George just haven't had enough practice yet!"

Great, Ron thought, how was he supposed to get out of this fix? Hermione's parents would most definitely be interested in seeing the play and how was he going to tell them, when the time came, that there wasn't one? What was he supposed to do! Take Dumbledore hostage and refuse to release him unless he decided to do a Christmas school play, pacifically called 'Macbeth'!

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**AN:** Sorry, I haven't added more but my mind has gone blank…also sorry if I just kept babbling on. I promise to make the next chapter more interesting and better written! 


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Hey everyone! Lucy here, updating for the first time in…about a month or two. Sorry for the delay, really. But you know how school is. rolls eyes Anyway, here it is, the long awaited chapter. OH and thank you to everyone who reviewed!

**Ginny's POV:**

Ginny inhaled sharply, one hand pinching her nose and the other clutching the legendary baguette. She had been lurking in the shadows of the basement for over half an hour and the stench of unwashed socks was beginning to affect her, but still, our heroine suffered. The youngest red-head simply refused to be beaten, even if her opponent was a six-foot long snake, christened under the name of 'Elizabeth III'. A ridiculous name, even for the pet of Fred and George and in Ginny's opinion they had stepped over the thin line that divided 'sanity' and 'insanity'. The snake in question was rather peculiar itself. Not only was it a boa constrictor, which most definitely weren't the most popular pet, but it's eyes seemed to change colour when it was in different moods. Her mother had done nothing but complain about what the neighbours would think but Ginny thanked her lucky stars.

She took another deep breath and held it, whilst reaching slowly into her pocket and smiling in satisfactory as her fingers wrapped themselves around a small, soft object.

"Lizzie…Lizzie!" Ginny coaxed, wafting the fairy cake temptingly through the air and letting out a high-pitched whistle. The whistle echoed around the room and a floorboard creaked at the opposite end of the room.

"YAH!" Ginny screamed, jumping into the clearing and, armed with her baguette, set about hitting everything within reach. Two yells of protest could be heard and Ginny let out a shout of surprise. SHE DIDN'T KNOW THE SNAKE COULD TALK! WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL HER THESE THINGS! Ginny stumbled backwards and promptly knocked over a wine barrel, toppling head first into yet another laundry basket. The wine barrel shot off towards the clearing. Thank god, Ginny thought, it should crush it and then we'll be rid of this mess, so maybe Fred and George would be in a bit of a mood with her for murdering their pet, but it had been an accident.

"GINNY!" Two identical voices shouted in rage. Ginny dropped her bread in surprise. She knew those voices. Carefully, picking up her baguette, she crept back over to the opposite side of the room and peered out over the top of the laundry basket. What she saw was two extremely angry older brothers, with faces the shade of their hair and drenched in wine, which was leaking from the broken wine barrel.

"And WHAT exactly do the two of you think you're doing!" Ginny barked, snapping back into professional mode, "There will be no lying down on the job whilst I'm incharge!"

"But—"

"Where is Lizzie?" Ginny asked mockingly, pretending to glance over Fred's shoulder. She let out a small gasp and shook her head, "OH that's right! NOW I remember! She's gone! And because you two twits were too stupid to lock her cage or even your bedroom door! You know, it wasn't a mere coincidence that mum just happened to hire a man to drill a lock into your door, the day that your new pet was supposed to be delivered!"

"We didn't—"

"What? Didn't mean to! Well, it's a bit late for that, isn't it! Look…just find the snake…wait…WHAT were you doing down here in the first place? I assigned you on patrol on the 3rd floor!"

**Fred's POV:**

Fred exchanged a smug look with his brother and smiled at Ginny. They'd been waiting for her to ask that question and that she had, they had the chance to ask her about their proposition. Fred sauntered over to Ginny, snaking his arm around her shoulders and placing his free hand on his heart,

"Dearest sister…" Fred began, "You won't believe what your two wonderful brothers have just gone and done."

Ginny, who up until then had been busying herself inspecting her nails, snapped her head up to glare at Fred, "It had better not be anything bad!" She warned, waving the baguette menacingly under his nose. Fred gulped and made a signal for George to continue, his gaze fixed wearily on the French bread.

"What Fred means is…your favourite brothers have managed to get time off work and are inviting you around during the holidays to spend the week with them at—"

"Bill's coming?" Ginny gasped in disbelief, her eyes widening in pleasant surprise. Her face split into a grin and she turned to the twins, "Did he say where he was taking me? Tell me, tell me, TELL ME!"

"Ginny!" Fred exclaimed loudly, over her pleas, "I am deeply offended that you don't consider us your favourite brothers!"

"Excuse me?" Ginny asked, pausing in mid-jump.

"WE are the ones who got time off work and are inviting you round for the week to stay at the joke shop!" George replied angrily.

"Oh…" Ginny said vaguely, rapidly losing interest. She sighed heavily, shaking her head and sending her crimson curls flying. "What a shame…I mean, OF COURSE! I'll think about it, but I think it's a bit too early to be planning for the holidays and maybe we should concentrate on the matter at hand."

And with that Ginny turned on her heel and stomped out of the basement, leaving her twin brothers staring after her in disbelief.

I hope you enjoyed it. Next week (I WILL update next week even if I have to tie myself to the computer chair!) I will switch POVs between Hermione and Ginny, as the Grangers enter the Burrow for the first time! (Well, the parents anyway.)

Please R&R!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

_Hermione's P.O.V:_

Hermione had to resist the urge to groan as, yet again, Ron tried to explain the use of the floo network to her clueless parents. She rolled her eyes, watching Ron with a bored look on her face and all the while, keeping a watchful eye on the house behind them. Surely, everything that had gone wrong had been put right by now? If not, then Hermione dreaded to think of Mrs. Weasley's reaction to the state of the house when she returned from 'shopping'… she especially dreaded the thought of having to introduce her parents to the twins.

She could see it now… imagine the disaster… her poor father and mother, the victims, of one of the twins' 'hilarious' pranks… and to think she'd been stupid enough to think that the evening couldn't have gotten any worse… Hermione turned her attention back to Ron and decided it best to intervene, before Ron hurt himself.

"Ron!" She said, in an inquiring voice, trudging through the wet grass towards where he and her parents were standing, "I think I just heard Ginny calling… something about dinner being ready? Maybe we should all head back inside."

"Back in?" Mrs. Granger interrupted in a hysterical voice, "We haven't even stepped over the threshold yet!" Hermione had to agree with her mother and from the look on her father's face; his wife's feelings seemed to mirror his own.

"Yes I think you're right Hermione." Ron replied in a tired, yet some what relieved, voice, "I'm sure dinner is ready. Mr. and Mrs. Granger, if you would kindly allow me to escort you into my humble home."

Murmurs and grumbles of 'finally' and 'about time' could be heard from her parents, whilst they gathered their things and reluctantly followed Ron over to the front porch. Hermione slipped between her parents and onto the porch to stand beside Ron, giving him a hopeful smile. The poor boy seemed to be gathering up what was left of his Gryffindor courage, smiling nervously at her parents and waiting for either Ginny or the twins, Hermione was praying it would be Ginny, to answer the door.

-x-

_Ginny's P.O.V:_

A loud and rather impatient knock sounded at the door, just as Ginny re-appeared from the basement, dusting herself off and smoothing out her rather ragged appearance. Her eyes widened in horror, as she stumbled backwards… back towards the basement stairs…

"FRED! GEORGE!" She hissed down to her brothers, ignoring the moaning and and grumbling that could be heard from them, "THEY'RE WAITING TO BE LET IN! THE GRANGERS! WHAT DO WE DO! THE CHICKEN ISN'T GOING TO BE READY FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER HALF HOUR!"

At this last remark, both twins appeared, poking their heads around the corner and staring at Ginny, accompanied by their famous looks of mischief that could only mean trouble.

"We'll stall them; you go and sort out dinner!" The twins exclaimed, taking Ginny by the arms and steering her towards the kitchen. Ginny immediately started protesting and tried to dig her heels into the carpet, in one last desperate attempt to stop her brothers… just for a few seconds, so she could have time to think of an alternative plan, which preferably didn't include her meddlesome brothers, but the twins were too strong for her and before she knew what had happened, she'd been thrown head-first into the kitchen. She let out a squeak of pain, as she landed hard on her back side, before turning to scowl angrily at her brothers, who merely smiled firstly at Ginny then at each other and closed the kitchen door, locking it behind them.

"Well Fred!" George said, wiping his hands in satisfactory.

"Well George!" Fred replied, imitating his brother in the same annoying fashion.

"Now we're in control!"

-x-


End file.
